Search Flows

Last Updated 11.07.02

General Description

This guideline describes the different searching flow options in BLAF. The flows vary depending on the type of search template used and the complexity of the search task (i.e., simple vs. advanced, etc.) This guideline contains information and flow examples for:

Guideline Attributes

Spec Version # - 3.1
Spec Contributors - Betsy Beier
UI Models - all models
Example Products - all products
Related Guidelines - Home Page Template, Search and Query Templates, Object List Templates, Personalization of Tables Template


Interaction and Usage Specifications

General Principles

Object List with Search and Results Sections

  1. User navigates to an object list with a search and results section.
  2. Users may either:
  3. Object List redraws with results in the results section. The user can either perform action or actions on a row(s), reiterate simple search or toggle to Advanced Search or Views. If toggle, simple search results table in results section will persist below Advanced Search or Views section.
  4. On Object List with Advanced Search section, users may either:
  5. Object List redraws with results in the results section. The user can either perform action or actions on a row(s), reiterate advanced search or toggle to Simple Search or Views. If toggle, advanced search results table in results section will persist below Simple Search or Views section.
  6. On Object List with Views section, users may either:
  7. Object List redraws with results in the results section. The user can either perform action or actions on a row(s), reiterate views or toggle to Simple Search. If toggle, views results table in results section will persist below Simple Search section.
(Note: Select flow schematic for a larger image.)



Object List with Quick Search

  1. User navigates to an object list with Quick Search.
  2. Users may either:
  3. Object List redraws under the page title. The user can either perform action or actions on a row(s), reiterate simple search (go to #2) or toggle to Advanced Search (go to #5).
  4. If the user has changed the object type (and entered in criteria) before selecting "Go", the user navigates to a different Object List (typically under a different tab) and the results display under the page title. The user can either perform action or actions on a row(s), reiterate simple search or toggle to Advanced Search (go to #5).
  5. If the user has clicked the "Advanced Search" link, he/she will navigate to the respective Object List (based on the object type in the choice list in the Quick search area) with the Advanced Search section, users may either:
(Note: Select flow schematic for a larger image.)



Search in Side Navigation of a Home Page Flow

  1. User navigates to an application Home Page.
  2. The user can either:
  3. The user navigates to the appropriate Object List page (based on the object type selected in the choice list on the home page) with Search and Results sections.
  4. If the "Advanced Search" link is selected, the user navigates to the respective Object List page (based on the object type in the choice list) with an advance search section and a results section. There is no side navigation with search on this page.



Search in Side Navigation of an Object List Flow

  1. User navigates to an Object List page with the search in the side navigation area.
  2. The user can either:
  3. The page redraws with results in the content portion of the page.
  4. If the "Advanced Search" link is selected, the user navigates to the respective object list with an advance search section and a results section. There is no side navigation with search on this page. (Note: Advanced search may be it's own page, if so, see Multiple Sectioned Advanced Search Flow below.)



Multiple Sectioned Advanced Search (Full Page) Flow

  1. User navigates to an object list with a search and results section.
  2. Users may either:
  3. Object List redraws with results in the results section. The user can either perform action or actions on a row(s), reiterate simple search or select the Advanced Search button (go to #4).
  4. If the user selects the "Advanced Search" button, the page redraws with a full Advanced Search page. The page title is: "[ObjectType]: Advanced Search". The page is comprised of multiple sections of advanced search criteria. Users may either:
  5. Once the user selects "Search" on the advanced search page, the user is navigated back to the Object List with Simple search section and results section with the new advanced search results. If the user would like to perform another advanced search, the "Advanced Search" button is selected again. The criteria from the previous advanced search is retained unless the user has performed another simple search in the interim.



Drilling Down from an Object List Page with Search and Results

After a user has performed a search, and the results are displayed, he/she may perform an action (or actions) on certain object/row(s) that have been returned. It is appropriate to retain the results set (cache) if the user drills down off the Object List to perform an action, then returns to that Object List.

For instance, the user may search for a specific employee like "Wendy". The results may return with many "Wendy's" and the user then decides to create a new one. The user selects the "Create" button, completes the flow, and returns to the Object List of Employees. The results from the last search ("Wendy") should be persistent. The new item may not be in view (since the table was not requeried), thus a confirmation message box should display at the top of the page confirming the new employee was created.

Visual Specifications

See template guidelines for details about the individual page templates.

Open/Closed Issues